Empty Nest
by GCatsPjs
Summary: The following fic is an entry in the 'Bonesology' board Challenge with the subject of moving...


**The following fic is an entry in the 'Bonesology' board Challenge with the subject of moving... The rules were... **

_**Write a one-shot in which one of the six regular characters is moving. It can be anyone and they can be moving for any reason, but you must include 2 the following: a lame joke that no one finds funny, a reference to an old movie, Parker, ice cream, a kiss, something broken during the move.  
**_

**Empty Nest** By Gcatspjs

Booth stood over the two boxes his living room, the room that was once filled with boxes filled with his son's childhood, boxes of books and toys, video game systems that were way too out of date, stuffed animals, and knick knacks that had been packed away for years in the attic. Wistfully, he nudged one of the boxes with his foot, looking down at a picture frame of himself and his son, standing together at his kindergarten graduation.

Parker was dressed in a small graduation gown, a paper mortar board on his head with a yellow yarn tassel. His blond hair sticking out from beneath it, and his hand was touching the fuzzy yellow tassel with a bright grin aiming right at his father.

"Are you going to cry?" The deep voice coming from the doorway was almost unrecognizable as his son, and Booth looked up at his boy, who was nearly a foot taller than him now, still with the blonde curls, with the same smile.

"Me? Cry? Are you kidding?" Booth laughed.

"Are these the last boxes?" Parker asked, nodding toward the box as Booth replaced the picture back in the box.

"Yeah."

Parker stepped forward and lifted one of the boxes, heaving it into his arms as he gave his father a curious look. "Are you sure you weren't about to cry?"

"Will you cut that out?" Booth said, leaning down to get the other box, he made a grunting sound as he lifted it from the floor.

"Got that, old man?" Parker asked with a laugh as his father glared.

"Just get out of here." He joked with his son as they stepped out of the room together, each holding a box. "You're just moving into your own place, it's not like you're leaving the country."

"Yet." Parker said with a grin. "Bones says that the grad students are going to take a trip to Guatemala at the end of the semester. She said it will be a pretty awesome opportunity."

"Well, Bones is going to have to argue with me on that one, kid." Booth said, following his son down the stairs, a bit out of breath as they reached the front door. Parker kicked it open and they were out on the street, walking toward the car.

"What is Bones going to have to argue with you about?" Brennan said from the spot at the side of the car, watching the two men carry the boxes toward the SUV. "Are you okay, Booth?" She asked, seeing the bit of stress in his eyes, he looked at her with a bit of a surprised glance.

"What? I'm fine."

"Dad was going to cry." Parker said as he put his box into the back of the car.

"I was not going to cry!" Booth said, handing over the box a bit hard, he watched his son's grin, and shook his head. He stretched his back and watched Parker pack the last box, grabbing something from the top of it as he closed the door.

"You shouldn't be carrying such heavy things, Booth. Your back is quite sensitive."

"Its fine, Bones."

"Are you sure? You've been complaining of back spasms lately, and I don't want…"

"Its fine, Bones." He insisted, facing his son as Parker grinned at the two of them.

"I was going to ask if you guys were going to be alright, but everything appears to be normal here."

"Your father arguing with me, or your father being stubborn?"

"Both." Parker smiled. "I should probably get going." He said, pointing a thumb toward his car, he smiled at the two of them as Booth wrapped his arm around Brennan slightly. Perhaps it was for support, perhaps something else. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"You're only going across the city, not the United States." Brennan said, catching a look between father and son that she still hadn't been able to understand. "You be safe." She whispered, stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, feeling him hug her back, she looked up at him and touched her hands to his face. "And behave."

"I will, Bones." He smiled. "You're the one with the tougher job. You have to keep dad in line."

"Oh, I gave up on that years ago." She said as they both shared a laugh.

"Just don't do anything that I would have done at your age." Booth said, stepping forward, he held his hand out to his son, who looked down at his father's hand.

"What is that?" He asked, watching his father's hand change to a fist. He grinned. "That's more like it." He said, bumping his dad's fist, he moved forward and hugged him tightly. "You know my cell number… call me if you need anything."

"The lawn is going to need to be mowed." Booth said, moving out of the hug, he saw his son's incredulous look.

"I have to go." He laughed.

"We love you, Parker." Brennan said, watching him take a step back toward his car, he waved to them.

"I love you guys too…" He waved as he reached for the door handle. "Oh, dad…" He said, stepping forward, he handed his father the picture that he had caught him looking at in the house. "You keep this."

"But Parks…"

"Thank you, Parker." Brennan said, knowing that Booth wasn't going to be able to speak for a moment, the lump in his throat impeding his expression, she watched Parker smile. "Have a safe drive."

"I will. Take care of him, Bones."

"I will."

"I know you will." He said with a smile as he climbed into the car, sending another wave, he started it up and started to pull away from the curb.

Booth put his arm around Brennan, pulling her close, he dropped a tender kiss on her head as they watched the car pull away. "I thought this would be easier." He whispered, as the car disappeared down the street.

"Easier? He's a man, Booth. It had to happen eventually, and nobody said it was going to be easy."

"No, Bones… easier… not easy… 'er' as in… not as hard as… nevermind." He shook his head.

"Nevermind? Me nevermind? You nevermind." She mumbled as he held her tightly, still watching the empty street.

"You are talking gibberish." He mumbled against her hair. "And what is this about you telling Parker he can go to Guatemala?" He asked, pulling out of the hug, he held her hand as they walked back toward the house.

"It's a great opportunity, Booth." She argued.

"Opportunity, shmoppertunity…"

"You don't make any sense… I think you're going senile. Have you had your blood sugar checked?" She asked as he laughed, and they continued their bickering into the house, together.


End file.
